Reunion
by daviderl
Summary: Sequel to Choices and Consequences. Accompanied by Xena, Gabrielle returns home to Poteidaia after having been sold into slavery eight years before. After spending time with her parents, Gabrielle and Xena leave, hoping to find Lila to bring her home.


**Reunion**

  
  


Chapter One 

  
"Wake up, Lazy. You going to sleep all day?"   
  
Gabrielle rolled over and opened one sleepy eye to look at Xena.   
  
"Do you always get up so early? Don't you ever want to sleep just a little later, even once in a while?"   
  
"For someone who's led an army for so many years, I would have thought you'd be up before me."   
  
"If there was a reason to get up early, I would. But what's the rush?"   
  
"Not getting nervous, are you?"   
  
Gabrielle sat up, stretched, then got to her feet.   
  
"Be right back." She said as she headed into the bushes.   
  
When she returned to the camp, Xena was waiting.   
  
"Not getting nervous, are you?" She repeated.   
  
"Nervous? What have I got to be nervous about?" Gabrielle asked with a small nervous laugh.   
  
"Well -- let's see." And Xena started counting off the reasons on her fingers.   
  
"You haven't been home for about eight years. You don't know if anyone knows what you've been doing all that time. And if they do, you don't know how they're going to react. You don't even know if your parents are alive. -- Did I miss anything?"   
  
"Lila."   
  
"Oh, yeah -- has anyone heard anything about Lila?"   
  
"Okay. So maybe I'm a little apprehensive. But wouldn't you be?"   
  
"Sure I would. But wouldn't I sleep the day away over it." Xena said with a grin.   
  
"Ha ha. I hardly think waiting until it was actually light enough to see constitutes sleeping the day away."   
  
"It's all a matter of perspective. Besides, Poteidaia is still a day and a half away. You have plenty of time before you have to get nervous."   
  
"I suppose. But getting serious for a moment, what if they know about my slave trading and don't **want** me there?"   
  
"Then we move on. Greece is a big place. There are plenty of villages around. We could even go to Amphipolis if we wanted to."   
  
"What's in Amphipolis?"   
  
"That's my home. Or it was."   
  
"I don't think I've ever heard of it. Is it anywhere around here?"   
  
"No. It's east of Mt. Olympus, in Thrace."   
  
"Oh, that's a long way from here. Do you have any family there?"   
  
"My mother."   
  
"Oh, yes, Cyrene. So she's still alive?"   
  
"As far as I know. She owns a tavern there. I guess she still does. I don't know how long it's been since I was home. Longer than you've been away from Poteidaia."   
  
"Then maybe we should go after we visit Poteidaia."   
  
  
They ate a small breakfast, mounted up and rode at a slow gallop toward Poteidaia.   
  
"Actually, we didn't live in Poteidaia. We had a farm about a half day's ride outside of it. If I remember right, from this direction, we should come to it before Poteidaia."   
  
After a bit of silence, Gabrielle asked, "So what about you and Ares? How did you two get together?"   
  
"About the same as you and him. He was impressed with the warrior skills I developed after putting together an army to protect Amphipolis from invaders. It's funny, but I'm not really sure when I first met him. That part of my life seems kind of a blur."   
  
"He was messing with your mind, too?"   
  
"Possibly."   
  
  
They rode on in silence for a large part of the day. Often the trail through the forest was narrow and they couldn't ride side by side.   
  
When they cleared the forest, Gabrielle spoke up again.   
  
"You said you buried your weapons near Poteidaia. Do you think you could find them again?"   
  
"I don't know. I'm sure things have changed in eight years. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to see if I could."   
  
"Did you wrap oily rags around them? After all this time they're sure to have rusted if you didn't."   
  
"No, I just dug a hole, threw them in and covered them up."   
  
"Then they've probably turned to rust for sure."   
  
"I have no doubt my sword has. My breastplate was bronze, so it shouldn't be in too bad a shape. But my Chakram will be as good as the day I buried it."   
  
"Your what? What did you say?"   
  
"My Chakram."   
  
"I've never heard of a Chakram. What is it?"   
  
"It's a ring made of two different metals bonded together. With jewels inset around it."   
  
"What kind of metals?"   
  
"I don't really know. Ares gave it to me. He didn't tell me anything about it, but I'm sure it was made by one of the gods, possibly Hephaestus, since he forged the weapons the gods used."   
  
"Why did he give it to you?"   
  
"To insure my loyalty. Or maybe as a token of his appreciation. For all I know, he stole and gave it to me to shift the blame for its disappearance. That way he wouldn't be implicated in its theft. With Ares, you never know."   
  
"So how do you use it?"   
  
"You throw it. It would go wherever I wanted it to, then come right back to me, and no matter what it hit it never lost its razor edge."   
  
"And you buried it? I would think you'd want to hang onto something like that."   
  
"Nope. When I buried it, I was burying my past -- no more armies, no more killing, and no more Ares."   
  
"But if you can find where it is, you are going to dig it up again, aren't you?"   
  
Xena took a long breath, trying to decide. "I was thinking about it. Since we're not going to be farmers, and since there's no telling who we'll be running into, it wouldn't hurt to have a special weapon, just in case."   
  
  
After they had stopped, made camp for the night, and had eaten supper, Xena noticed that Gabrielle's growing apprehension was starting to make her irritable. So rather than trying to keep her mind off it by making meaningless conversation, Xena told her that the next morning before they broke camp she would have a surprise for her.   
  
"Why can't I have it now?" Gabrielle asked, still a little testy.   
  
"Because I said you will get it in the morning."   
  
"Is it something to eat? Or drink? Is it something I've been needing? Or really want?"   
  
"You'll have to decide about that, in the morning."   
  
"No hints at all?"   
  
"Nope. But the earlier we turn in, the sooner morning will get here."   
  
Trying not to sound as annoyed as she was, Gabrielle agreed that a good night's sleep wasn't such a bad idea.   
  
  


Chapter Two 

  
The next morning Gabrielle was awake before Xena, and even before the sun started to lighten the eastern sky.   
  
"I feel like I used to feel whenever it was my birthday. I knew Mother and Father and Lila had some kind of surprise for me. I haven't felt like this in so many years!"   
  
"Well, you're going to have to wait a little longer, at least until the sun is high enough so you can see what I want you to see. So why don't you fix us a good breakfast, and it'll be time before you know it."   
  
Gabrielle made breakfast - warmed up smoked rabbit, hard cheese, and brown bread.   
  
  
"Okay, I think I've waited long enough."   
  
"I guess you have. How would you like to meet another god?"   
  
"You know another one?"   
  
"Well, yeah. Not as well as I do Ares, but she and I have met a couple of times."   
  
"SHE! Are you talking about Hera?"   
  
"No! She's one god I'd just as soon as not have anything to do with. I'm sure you've heard the stories about what she's tried to do to Hercules."   
  
"Yes, but they're just stories, right? I mean, she really didn't try to do all those things to him, did she?"   
  
"Oh, yes she did. You should hear about them from his point of view."   
  
"You know Hercules too?! By the gods, Xena, are there any famous people, or gods you don't know?"   
  
Xena laughed. "Oh, there're probably one or two more, but none that come to mind right now. Anyway, the goddess I'm talking about is Aphrodite . . . ."   
  
"The Goddess of Love? Oh, Xena I'd LOVE to meet her. You really know her, and she's coming HERE?"   
  
"Just as soon as I call her."   
  
"So what are you waiting for? No, wait! Why do you want me to meet her? Is there something I should know about?"   
  
"You'll see. Aphrodite! Aph-ro-di-teee!!"   
  
There was bright, pink-tinged flash of light, and the Love Goddess was standing in front of them.   
  
"Hi, Xena! It's been such a long time! Gee, you look terrible! So what's up?"   
  
"I want you to meet someone. Aphrodite, this is Gabrielle. Gabrielle -- Aphrodite."   
  
Gabrielle tried to say hello, but had to swallow twice before she got it out.   
  
"Hi."   
  
"Do I know you?" Aphrodite asked.   
  
"I don't think so. We've never met. Believe me, that's something I would remember!"   
  
"There's something about you . . . Now what is it?"   
  
Gabrielle looked at Xena for help. Xena shrugged her shoulders.   
  
"I know! Aren't you one of those horrible people who capture young girls to sell into slavery?" Aphrodite accused with disgust in her voice.   
  
"Well," Gabrielle said weakly, "I used to. But . . . ."   
  
Just then Aphrodite put her fingers on Gabrielle's chin and harshly turned her face just a bit so she could better see the scar.   
  
"Nice souvenir! I'm sure you deserved it!" Her voice was uncharacteristically hard.   
  
Then Aphrodite turned to Xena and said, "What are you doing with the likes of HER?!"   
  
"That's a long story. But the reason I called you here is . . . ."   
  
But Aphrodite, not wanting to hear the story, interrupted her again. "I see you're not on the farm anymore, didn't work out for you?"   
  
"Oh, it was working fine, until some of Gabrielle's men happened to stumble across me. I got a little careless and they captured me . . . ."   
  
"Well, what else could you expect with people like HER running around capturing poor helpless women and selling them?"   
  
"There's more to it than that." Xena said. "But the reason . . . ."   
  
"But at least Ares didn't find you." Aphrodite interrupted one more time.   
  
"No, he didn't."   
  
Then Xena paused, puzzled.   
  
"What do you mean, at least Ares didn't find me?"   
  
"Oh! I didn't tell you, did I? Well, I knew you wanted to get away from him, so after I settled you on the farm, I placed a Veil of Invisibility over it. That way he wouldn't be able to find you. But I didn't think to make it so mortals couldn't either."   
  
"What! You're saying that all these years I was hidden from Ares? Gabrielle! That explains it!"   
  
"What?" Gabrielle asked. "Explains what?"   
  
"Why Ares had you capturing all those women! He must have thought that I was hiding out in some village, and he was using YOU to find me because he couldn't!"   
  
"Ares had you capturing and selling those women?" Aphrodite asked Gabrielle.   
  
"Yes," she answered. "Even though I had been a slave and the thought of doing the same thing to other women was hateful to me, somehow he convinced me it was a good idea!"   
  
"I'll bet he gave you some of his special wine, too. Didn't he?"   
  
"Come to think of it, he always brought some, every time he came to see me. And it was delicious I must admit!"   
  
Then without warning, Gabrielle found herself in the very strong, godly arms of Aphrodite, who was hugging her and saying, "Gabrielle, I am SO sorry for the things I said about you. If I had known Ares made you do those terrible things I never would have been so rude!"   
  
Barely able to breathe, Gabrielle managed to squeak out, "That - that's quite all right! It's certainly understandable."   
  
Finally Aphrodite let her go. "You know, sometimes that Ares just infuriates me! I just can't understand WHY he does the things he does! Gabrielle, I am truly sorry for being so mean to you. If there's anything I can do to . . . ."   
  
Now it was Xena's turn to interrupt.   
  
"That's why I called you here. Poteidaia isn't far from here, that's where Gabrielle is from, and she's going home. But she's a little nervous, and I thought that if you could remove that scar, it might make her feel better about what her parents will see. You know, so they won't think she suffered too much while she was a slave."   
  
"Why, Xena, you certainly have mellowed!"Aphrodite said approvingly. "Your time on the farm must have done you some good!"   
  
"You wouldn't mind?" Gabrielle asked, finally able to get a word in.   
  
Aphrodite laughed. "Oh Honey, of course not! I'd be happy to."   
  
The Love Goddess put one hand near Gabrielle's cheek, and out of the corner of her eye, Gabrielle saw gold and silvery sparkles coming from Aphrodite's hand to her cheek, but she didn't feel them touching her.   
  
"There!" Aphrodite said. "All done."   
  
Gabrielle's hand went to her cheek and felt only smooth skin. Then she felt her other cheek, to compare. Then her hand went back to the first one.   
  
"It feels so strange. Does -- does it look okay?"   
  
"See for yourself." Aphrodite said. She then put her hand up with her palm facing Gabrielle. And as her hand moved in a circle, a reflective surface the size of Gabrielle's face appeared, allowing her to see herself.   
  
"By - the - gods." She said slowly, amazed at how smooth her skin was. "This is the first time I've had the nerve to look in a mirror since it happened. Aphrodite, I don't know what to say. Or how to thank you."   
  
"We're not finished yet."   
  
"We aren't?" Gabrielle asked as the mirror disappeared.   
  
Aphrodite pick up a lock of Gabrielle's hair with two fingers. "Will you look at this hair? I have GOT to do something with it!"   
  
"What's wrong with it?" Gabrielle wanted to know.   
  
"Well, for one thing it's **short!**"   
  
"But I like it short, and I'm used to it." Gabrielle protested.   
  
"You look like a boy! And it's as dry as straw! You just let me work some magic, you'll see."   
  
Aphrodite put both hands at the top of Gabrielle's head, not quite touching her hair, then as the sparkles returned, she slowly move each hand down either side until she stopped at her shoulders. Gabrielle felt her hair get heavy, and felt it touching her neck.   
  
"What do you think?" Aphrodite asked Xena.   
  
Xena nodded her approval.   
  
Gabrielle was running her fingers through her shoulder length hair, amazed at its softness.   
  
"It really looks good?" She asked Xena.   
  
"It really looks good."   
  
"Now!" Aphrodite said. "About those clothes."   
  
"What about them ?" Gabrielle asked.   
  
"Well, for one thing, they make you look like a soldier."   
  
"I am a soldier. Or I was."   
  
"Now is that the image you want your parents to see, a tough, battle-hardened warrior? Or would you rather have them see their soft, feminine little girl?"   
  
"She has a point." Xena said.   
  
"Okay. But not TOO feminine. I still have to ride a horse, and search for firewood, and . . . ."   
  
"Well, how about if I dress you up for now, and when you're ready to hit the road, or trail, or whatever, I'll make sure you have some traveling clothes?"   
  
"Now that's sounds good."   
  
Once again, gold and silvery sparkles streamed from Aphrodite's hands. They swirled around Gabrielle from head to toe, and when they disappeared, Gabrielle was wearing a long, low cut, light blue dress with red striping around the waist, the bottom hem, and along the length of the sleeves.   
  
Then waving an arm in a large circle, Aphrodite materialized a full length mirror.   
  
For a while, Gabrielle didn't speak. She could only look at her reflection, hardly able to believe the beautiful woman looking back at her -- was really her.   
  
Finally, with glistening eyes, Gabrielle put her arms around the Goddess of Love.   
  
"Thank you," she whispered, unable to talk. "Thank you so much. I don't know what to say."   
  
"Yeah," Xena said. "Thank you."   
  
"Sure!" Aphrodite answered. "Glad to do it. But, you know how it is -- a Love Goddess' work is never done. I have to go, but before I do -- anything else? Xena, it looks like you could use something decent to wear."   
  
"No. I'm fine."   
  
"Okay, Then I guess I'll see you two later."   
  
"Wait!" Gabrielle said. "Xena, what about your Chakram?"   
  
"No." Xena said quickly. "I know where it is."   
  
"You don't have that thing, do you? I can get it for you, no trouble." Aphrodite volunteered.   
  
"You don't have to do that. You've done enough. I know you have other, more important, things to do."   
  
"Well, all right, then. Gabrielle, your traveling clothes are over there." She pointed toward a tree stump, and a small pile of clothes appeared.   
  
And without another word, she disappeared in a flash of light.   
  
"You look SO good." Xena said. "It's amazing what a new hairdo and some clean clothes can do."   
  
"I'm almost afraid to move. I can't remember the last time I was dressed like this. I'd hate to get this beautiful dress all dirty and wrinkled."   
  
"Well, it's only a half day's ride home. I think you can probably keep it on without too much damage."   
  
"Then I guess we should break camp, saddle up, and go home."   
  
  


Chapter Three 

  
As they rode away from the campsite, Gabrielle asked, "Xena, what did Aphrodite mean when she said she settled you on that farm?"   
  
"Well, after I left my army I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I wasn't too crazy about the idea of living in some village. So after a half a year or so of just riding around the country I decided that if I could find a small farm somewhere out away from everyone, I could settle down and maybe after a while, the Warrior Princess would just fade into oblivion. And since Aphrodite owed me a favor, I asked her if she could find me something like that."   
  
"Why did she owe you a favor?"   
  
"Oh, well, while I was doing all that traveling around, I happened to be in a tavern when I overheard some interesting information. It seemed that some very rich merchant had fallen in love with some young maiden, I don't remember either one of their names. But she fell in love with a stable hand and they eloped. Well, this merchant was more than just a little angry. And because Aphrodite is the Goddess of Love, he blamed her. And he swore vengeance on her! And the story goes that he spent his very last dinar bribing and searching and doing whatever he could until he was able to get hands on a small amount of Hind's Blood."   
  
"I don't know what that is."   
  
"It's the only thing that can kill a god. Put some Hind's Blood on a dagger, or an arrow, then stab or shoot the god, and the god dies. So his plan was to hide out near one of Aphrodite's temples, and when she visited it to see what offerings were there, he was going to kill her. Well, I really didn't think that was such a good idea. I mean, killing the Goddess of Love? But I had no idea how to get in touch with her, so I found Hercules and let him know about it. And since they're half-brother and sister I knew he could find her.   
  
"So, a few days later Aphrodite appeared, and not only did she thank me, but she said that if there was ever anything she could do for me, to just shout out her name, and there she'd be."   
  
"You know, that's a real nice story. Someone should write that down."   
  
"Yeah, sure they should. Anyway, when I decided I wanted to settle down on a farm, I called for her, and she had no trouble finding me one."   
  
"So why didn't you want her to retrieve your Chakram?"   
  
"Because it's better if the gods owe you a favor than it is for you to owe them one, even the Goddess of Love. If I had let her find it for me, then I'd be in her debt, something I'd rather not be."   
  
Gabrielle got a very concerned look on her face. "Then does that mean that now I owe her a favor, or two, or three?"   
  
"No, she would have mentioned it. I think she did all that trying to make up for what Ares did to you. Sometimes the gods can be compassionate, not often, but sometimes. And I think this was one of those times."   
  
"Well, that's a relief, I guess."   
  
Gabrielle was silent for a little while longer.   
  
"Xena, you just said that you didn't want to owe any favors to Aphrodite, but weren't you going to do just that by asking her to remove my scar?"   
  
"Well, yes. But it was a favor worth asking for."   
  
"That guilt really is getting to you, isn't it?"   
  
Xena smiled. "Yeah, but that isn't why I did it."   
  
"So why did you?"   
  
"Because. . . ." Xena hesitated, searching for the right words. "I did it because I feel like we've become friends, good friends, very good, close friends. And it's something I wanted to do for you."   
  
"Then, thank you. It means a lot to me that you'd do that." Gabrielle pretended that she had something in her eye, but wiped away a tear.   
  
  
They rode on mostly in silence. Occasionally, Xena or Gabrielle would look at the sky, judging the time, trying to figure how much longer to Gabrielle's parent's farm.   
  
Finally, Gabrielle said, "Things are starting to look familiar to me -- that rock that's partially blocking the stream. And that oak tree with the top broken off. It's not too much farther now."   
  
They rode through a small stand of trees and when the came out of it, they were looking across a large pasture at a small farmhouse. A trickle of smoke was coming from the chimney. A few chickens were scratching in the dirt near the front door. Off to one side was a barn was a pen with four goats. On the other side of the house was a medium sized garden. And there were three cows and two horses grazing in the pasture.   
  
Xena didn't say anything, but to her, things didn't look very good. The livestock seemed to be underweight, the goats were too small, and the garden was overgrown with as many weeds as vegetables.   
  
Xena looked at Gabrielle, and it was obvious that Gabrielle also saw how bad the place looked.   
  
"I can't do this!" Gabrielle said suddenly. And she turned her horse around and galloped off. By the time Xena caught up to her, Gabrielle had already dismounted.   
  
"Gabrielle, what's the matter? You can't do what?"   
  
"I can't see my parents dressed like this."   
  
"What's wrong with the way you're dressed?"   
  
"Xena, you saw the farm! It's obvious things haven't been going well for them. If they have been having such a rough time of it, it would seem like a slap in the face -- me showing up in this fancy dress like I've been living the good life while they've been struggling just to get by. Don't you see that?"   
  
"Maybe. Or maybe you're just afraid for them to see you for another reason."   
  
"What other reason could there be?"   
  
"Why don't you tell me?"   
  
"Xena, I don't know what you're talking about."   
  
"I think you do. Think about it. What have you been doing the past four or five years? And how many people know may the name of 'Rielle' as a slaver? And maybe you're worrying that your parents somehow might have made the connection."   
  
Gabrielle's head dropped into her hands as she pressed her fingers against her eyes, trying to stop the tears. When she found she couldn't stop them, she looked up at Xena, the tears running down her face.   
  
"You're right, Xena. What if they do know what I've been doing? And what if they hate me, and never want to see me again? I -- I don't know if I could stand it, if I could stand the look on their faces, and the rejection."   
  
Xena put one hand on Gabrielle's shoulder, then gently pulled her to her and put both arms around her.   
  
"And how do you know they know anything at all?" Xena asked her softly. "Maybe all these years they've been praying to the gods that one day you and Lila will come home safely to them."   
  
With her arms tightly around Xena's waist and her face still buried in her breast, she said, "If only you were right."   
  
Xena leaned back enough to cause Gabrielle to look up at her.   
  
"We'll never know if we don't go see."   
  
Gabrielle stepped back, wiping the tears away. "I suppose. But I still think I should change. As much as I appreciate what Aphrodite was trying to do, this dress is too fancy for me, and for the simple farmers my parents are."   
  
"Then you change, wash your face, and we'll go see the folks."   
  
Gabrielle changed into the knee length leather skirt, long sleeve blouse, and calf-high boots.   
  
Slowly they rode back to the farm. As they came back to the pasture, they saw that a woman was now working in the garden.   
  
Xena heard Gabrielle inhale, and then whisper, "Mother!"   
  
Xena put her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder, as if to direct her forward.   
  
At first Gabrielle resisted, afraid of the kind of reception she might get, but an encouraging squeeze of her shoulder gave her the strength to ride on.   
  
They rode at an even trot, not wanting to go too slow, but not too fast either. The whole time Gabrielle's eyes were riveted on the woman, who's back was to them.   
  
It wasn't until they were near the farmhouse that the woman heard them and turned around.   
  
She put up one hand to shade her eyes against the bright sun, then leaned forward, trying to identify the two riders. Her mouth opened slightly, then her hand went to her mouth as she recognized her daughter. She dropped the hoe and began to run toward her.   
  
Gabrielle jumped from the saddle and began to run to her mother.   
  
Xena watched from horseback, her eyes a little wet, as the two women fell into each other's arms. She could hear Hecuba as she cried over and over, "Oh, Gabrielle! My Baby, my Baby! You've come home to us! Oh, My baby Gabrielle!"   
  
Xena watched as Hecuba covered Gabrielle's face with kisses, hugged her, then kissed her again. She didn't seem to be able to express enough how happy and ecstatic she was.   
  
Gabrielle's back was to Xena, but Xena suspected she was voicing the exact same joy and elation.   
  
When it appeared that the hugs and kisses were about over, for now, Xena dismounted and walked over to them.   
  
Gabrielle and her mother turned to Xena, their arms around each other's waist, they still couldn't release each other.   
  
"Mother, this is Xena. Xena, my Mother -- Hecuba."   
  
Before Xena could speak, Hecuba was hugging her. When she stepped back she said, "Thank you for bringing my baby back to me."   
  
"Uh - you're welcome."   
  
Once again Gabrielle and Hecuba were holding onto the other.   
  
"Father." Gabrielle said as they walked to the house. "Where's Father?"   
  
"He's inside. He's not doing too good. He's been sick a lot. The past eight years have been hard on him. When you and Lila were taken, it just seemed to take the life out of him."   
  
Xena deliberately kept from looking at Gabrielle, the guilt was like a red hot lump of coal in her gut -- painful and searing.   
  
They entered the darkened house, all the shutters were closed.   
  
"Can't we get some light in here?" Gabrielle asked.   
  
"Your father likes it dark. He says without his girls, there is no sunshine in his life."   
  
"But I'm here now. Is he in the bedroom?"   
  
Hecuba nodded, and led her to the room.   
  
"He's probably asleep. He sleeps a lot."   
  
"Let me wake him up." Gabrielle requested.   
  
Xena and Hecuba stood at the door as Gabrielle went to the window and opened the shutters.   
  
Herodotus looked up, about to complain about the light when he saw Gabrielle.   
  
"Gabrielle?" He asked whispering, afraid to speak too loud. If she was a spirit he didn't want to scare her away.   
  
Gabrielle sat down on the edge of the bed, crying again.   
  
"Yes, Father, it's me. I've come home."   
  
Herodotus struggled to sit up. Gabrielle put her arms around him to help him up and they embraced. She heard him whispering in her ear much the same thing that Hecuba had.   
  
After a while, Herodotus released his daughter. His strength seemed to coming back to him.   
  
"Help me up," he requested. "I want to sit at the table."   
  
Xena and Gabrielle helped him to his feet and without too much help, they all went back into the main room of the house.   
  
"Open the windows!" He demanded. "I want to see my daughter's face."   
  
Hecuba hurried to comply.   
  
  


Chapter Four 

  
Gabrielle, Herodotus, and Hecuba talked nonstop until dusk. Not even when Hecuba fixed an early supper did they stop.   
  
Gabrielle ended up telling them almost everything that had happened to her since she was abducted, even her life as a slave trader, but only after she and Xena had first explained how Ares had manipulated her thoughts and emotions.   
  
To Gabrielle's relief, they understood completely and held her blameless. Both Xena and Gabrielle left out the fact of Xena's inaction so many years ago that allowed her and Lila to be taken.   
  
Herodotus and Hecuba related how devastated the people of Poteidaia were after their capture. The village still hadn't recovered the loss. Although some of the men had found wives in other villages, there had only been a handful of babies born. The town seemed to be dying; there had been no celebrations or festivals since the raid. Even the Winter Solstice Festival was cancelled. The only joy came with the births of the few infants.   
  
Eventually Gabrielle asked the question she had been afraid to ask, afraid of the answer.   
  
"Has anyone heard anything about Lila?"   
  
"I'm not sure." Hecuba replied. "Every once in a while some traveler passing through would mention something about some slave-girl servant he had seen, but the description could have been of anyone."   
  
  
They continued to talk until it was past midnight. When they turned in for the night, Gabrielle slept in the bed she and Lila had shared for seventeen years. But this time, it was Xena beside her. It wasn't the same, but she was glad Xena was there.   
  
Xena was up before the dawn. And when Gabrielle found her right after day break, she was in the garden using the hoe Hecuba had abandoned when she saw Gabrielle riding up.   
  
Gabrielle found a rake and began to clear out the pile of weeds Xena had made. As they worked together, side by side, the garden began to look like a well-tended, productive garden should look like.   
  
They stopped only when Hecuba brought them breakfast, including a large pitcher of cool water. They were both covered with dirt and sweat, but only stopped long enough to eat, then went back to work.   
  
Herodotus came out to sit on the shaded porch to watch his "girls."   
  
By noon, the two women had done all they could do -- the weeds were gone, the vegetables had been fertilized and watered, and the fence surrounding the garden had been repaired.   
  
After a long lunch that included much reminiscing and laughing, Xena and Gabrielle decided to do some repair work on the barn. They had barely gotten started on replacing some broken boards when Gabrielle stopped Xena.   
  
"I need you to do something for me." She said to Xena.   
  
"Sure. What is it?"   
  
"I want you to call Aphrodite for me."   
  
"Why do you want me to do that?" Xena asked suspiciously.   
  
"Because I want to ask her to find Lila and bring her home."   
  
"Gabrielle, are you sure you want to do that? That's asking an awful lot. And you'd owe her an awful lot."   
  
"Xena, I don't care! This is my sister we're talking about! Haven't you seen the change in Father in just the one day that ** I've** been home? And Mother? Just think how happy they would be -- how happy ** I ** would be, to have her home again!"   
  
"Gabrielle, I understand how you feel, but asking a god for favors is risky. What if she wants you to -- I don't know, build a thousand temples dedicated to her? Where would you get the money, or the material, or the manpower? It could take you the rest of your life!"   
  
"Xena, it doesn't matter. I would do anything to see the look on Mother and Father's face if I could bring Lila home to them. What if it was your mother we were talking about? Wouldn't you do it?"   
  
"Yes, I probably would. All right, I'll call her for you. But before she does anything, try to find out what kind of favor she's going to want in return, just to be on the safe side."   
  
  
They walked out behind the barn, well out of sight from the house and Xena called out to Aphrodite.   
  
After the third time she appeared.   
  
"Well, Hi! I see you made it. How'd the folks like the dress?" she asked Gabrielle.   
  
"They haven't seen it yet. I'm waiting for a special occasion."   
  
"Oh," Aphrodite said, a bit disappointed. "So then, what can I do for you two."   
  
"Gabrielle has a favor she wants to ask."   
  
"What is it?"   
  
"I want -- I'd appreciate it if you could locate my sister, Lila, and bring her home. She was sold into slavery when I was, and no one's heard from her since."   
  
"Oh, that's a big favor. A very big favor."   
  
"I realize that. But if you could do this, you don't know how much it would mean not only to me, but to Mother and Father ... and to Lila, I'm sure!"   
  
"Well, I'd have to do some searching around, after all this is a mighty big world. She could be -- well, ** anywhere!**"   
  
"I know that."   
  
Aphrodite turned to Xena. "Does she understand the conditions?"   
  
"She knows -- favor for favor, I explained it to her. But she's adamant about this. It's her family."   
  
"Very well, Gabrielle. First I have to find her."   
  
Aphrodite closed her eyes.   
  
While they waited, Gabrielle was watching the Love Goddess intently. As she did, she couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. The barest hint of a smile came to Aphrodite's lips.   
  
Gabrielle looked at Xena for support, and realized that Xena was just as beautiful, in a different way, if not more so.   
  
"You know, it's very RUDE to be asking the Goddess of Love for a favor, and at the same time thinking that there is someone who is more beautiful than she is." Aphrodite said, eyes still closed.   
  
Gabrielle looked back at Aphrodite, admiring how flawless her skin was, how amazing her features were, and what a perfect body she had.   
  
"That's better."   
  
The longer they stood waiting, the more apprehensive Gabrielle got, and she began to fear the worst.   
  
  


Chapter Five 

  
After a while longer, Aphrodite opened her eyes. "I found her!"   
  
"Thank you!" Gabrielle exclaimed with relief. "I was beginning to think she might be --"   
  
"No. She's fine. But she's not in Greece. That's what took me so long."   
  
"So, where is she?"   
  
"In Italia. In Rome to be specific."   
  
"Rome?" Gabrielle and Xena echoed together.   
  
"Yes."   
  
"You can bring her home, can't you?" Gabrielle asked.   
  
"I can, but she might not want to come."   
  
"I don't understand. Why wouldn't she want to?" Gabrielle asked.   
  
"Is she still a slave?" Xena asked.   
  
"Well, technically she is, but her life isn't as bad as you might think. She's living in the home one of the Senators. She runs his household with a half dozen servants under her. She comes and goes as she pleases, and she has a child, a daughter named Sarah, the Senator's daughter. I wouldn't be surprised that when he dies that he'll free her."   
  
"Well," Gabrielle said, trying to be positive about it. "At least she's not being beaten or tortured, or worse."   
  
"I can bring her here, if you still want me to . . . ."   
  
"No. If she's happy where she is, that's the important thing."   
  
"So, if that's it, then I'll be going."   
  
"Gabrielle," Xena said. "Wasn't there something else you wanted to ask?"   
  
"Huh? Oh. Oh yes, there sure was." She replied, then to Aphrodite she said, "I know I owe you a favor, any chance you could tell me what it is?"   
  
"Well you know, Gabrielle, being the Goddess of Love, it's my job to make sure there is enough love spread around so that for a little while people are happy. They sacrifice for the ones they love, and they do without so their lovers can have a little more. But sometimes I'm not really needed, especially when it comes to families. Most of the time families, even when they're separated, still feel that bond and want what's best for each other. And that makes my job that much easier -- gives me more time to concentrate on the offerings in my temples. So you two just keep on caring for each other, and for your families, and I'll be around if you need me."   
  
And with that, she disappeared.   
  
Gabrielle looked up at Xena. "Did I miss something? I still don't know what she wants me to do."   
  
Xena smiled, "I think she was saying this one's favor-free. She's probably still trying to make up for what Ares did, but I don't think I'd push it if I were you."   
  
"I think you're probably right."   
  
"There you two are!" Hecuba said, walking around the corner of the barn. "What's so important back here?"   
  
"Mother, I have something to tell you. But I want to tell you and Father at the same time. So why don't we go back into the house?"   
  
They sat down around the kitchen table, all attention on Gabrielle.   
  
"You remember that I told you Aphrodite, as a favor to Xena, removed the scar I had on my cheek. Well, I decided to ask her if she'd find Lila and bring her home. And she found her. But from what she said, she may not want to come home."   
  
"You can't be serious!" Herodotus said. "We're her family, why wouldn't she want to come home?"   
  
"Let me explain. Aphrodite said that she's living in the house of a Roman Senator and she, apparently, runs things even though she's still a slave. And she might even be in love with him because she has had his child, a daughter named Sarah."   
  
Xena started to mention that Aphrodite didn't say anything about Lila being in love, but maybe it was better if they thought she was.   
  
There was silence.   
  
"Then why hasn't she tried to get word to us?" Hecuba asked. "She could have done THAT much. She could have let us know we have a granddaughter!"   
  
"I don't know. But I was thinking that if Xena wouldn't mind postponing our trip to Amphipolis, maybe we could go to Rome to see her."   
  
Gabrielle looked hopefully at Xena.   
  
"Of course I wouldn't mind. A few months more or less won't make much of a difference."   
  
"Thank you, I hoped you say that. I'll make it up to you, I swear I will."   
  
Xena laughed a small laugh. "Where've I heard THAT before?"   
  
"You're not leaving already?" Herodotus asked.   
  
"Oh no. We'll be here a while longer. It's going to take time to get supplies together. Besides, there's still work to be done around here first. We'll be here at least another month or two."   
  
  


Chapter Six 

  
The next two months seemed to fly by, there was so much to do, so much to catch up on around the farm -- repair the walls of the barn. Add more thatching to it and to the house. Repair the fencing around the pasture. Harvest the summer vegetables and prepare them for winter storage. Prepare the garden for the winter crops. Repair the tools, some of the furniture, the chimney, cut and stack winter fire wood.   
  
Xena hunted for deer and wild pigs to be salted and smoked. Gabrielle cut and dried hay for the horses and cows. Even Herodotus felt strong enough to start helping, and supervising.   
  
Hecuba couldn't wait to take Gabrielle into Poteidaia so everyone would know she had come home.   
  
But Gabrielle made her promise to say nothing about Aphrodite telling them of the whereabouts of Lila. She knew everyone would want to know where their own daughters or wives were. And Gabrielle knew THAT would be an impossible request.   
  
Instead, she told them that Xena had heard rumors Lila might be in Rome, and they were going to try to find her just as soon as the farm was productive again.   
  
There were volunteers to go with them -- Lila had been loved as much as Gabrielle, or any of the other girls, but Gabrielle gratefully declined, saying they should stay home and take care of Poteidaia.   
  
Gabrielle's return had brought hope to the other parents that perhaps their daughters might return some day as well.   
  
  
It was late summer when two warriors decided the farm was in good enough shape that they could go after Lila, hoping that if they found her that she might want to return with them, if only for a visit.   
  
They decided to leave right after daybreak, to get a good start on their journey.   
  
Hecuba made sure they had enough trail food, mostly smoked meat and dried fruit, and winter clothes. It was hard for her and Herodotus to see Gabrielle leave again, but knowing she would be coming back to them, and maybe with Lila, made it a little easier.   
  
At the last moment before they rode out, Herodotus handed Gabrielle a leather pouch. It contained forty dinars, almost all the money he had.   
  
"I can't take this." Gabrielle protested. "How will you get by without any money?"   
  
"Gabrielle, you forget this is a small town. We trade and borrow and lend more than we buy. You take it. You'll need it to book passage to Italia, and for food and lodging once you get there. We'll be fine."   
  
Gabrielle dismounted to hug and kiss them both one more time, then climbed back on her horse and she and Xena rode out, heading west toward the coast of Greece, and the Ionian Sea.   
  
  
"What about your Chakram?" Gabrielle asked before they had ridden too far.   
  
"You're not obsessed with it, are you?" Xena asked in return, only half joking.   
  
"No. I don't think so. Well, maybe a little. But after all, you DID say it was forged by the gods. That's something I'd really like to see."   
  
"Well, I've been doing a little scouting around while we were here, and I'm pretty sure I know about where I buried it. But it may take a couple of days to actually find the place."   
  
"I don't think two days will make much of a difference."   
  
  
It actually took less than a day. They started near Poteidaia, and followed the path that Gabrielle remembered they had taken. Xena remembered the stand of trees and bushes she had hidden in, and from there it wasn't long before they were digging up Xena's weapons and armor.   
  
The iron blade of the sword was rusted beyond use. The bronze breastplate was corroded, but with a little work could have been used, but Xena decided it was a part of her past she didn't want.   
  
However, she was right about her Chakram. Once the dirt was washed off, it looked brand new.   
  
Gabrielle was fascinated with it. So Xena let her throw it a couple of times, and it almost came back to her.   
  
They decided to ride on until almost dusk before making camp. And were on the trail barely after sunrise.   
  
  
They arrived in the moderate-sized fishing and trading village of Prevaza, located on the western coast of the province of Epirus, Greece, on the shore of the Ionian Sea. Within three days they had arranged passage on a Roman trading ship that was going to Napoli. From there it would be an eight to ten day horse ride to Rome.   
  
The sea voyage would take them across the Ionia Sea, through the Strait of Messina -- between Italia and Sicilia, and into the Tyrrhenian Sea, and then north to Napoli. The journey would take a month, if the winds were right and they encountered no storms.   
  
Just as they were about to go on board, Xena pulled Gabrielle to one side.   
  
"Gabrielle, while we're under Roman jurisdiction, I don't want you to call me 'Xena.' I want you to call me 'Cyrene.' "   
  
"Why?"   
  
"Because the name 'Xena' is too well known to certain Roman Generals." She explained.   
  
"And to emperors." She added, her voice hard and hate-filled.   
  
Gabrielle wanted to ask more, curious, knowing there was a good story there, but decided right now wasn't the time.   
  
"Of course. You were 'Cyrene' to me before you were 'Xena.' "   
  
"Just don't forget. The less trouble we make for ourselves, the better off we'll both be."   
  
  
Except for Xena's unusual nervousness about being so close to Romans, the twenty-seven day voyage was mostly uneventful. At the beginning of the trip, Gabrielle suffered with severe seasickness, but Xena showed her how to apply pressure to certain nerves that eliminated ninety percent of the nausea.   
  
They landed at dusk in Napoli, but had no trouble finding a room for the night. Even though the inn's proprietor was used to dealing with foreign currency, he suggested the exchange their Greek dinars for Roman ducats. He explained that the closer to Rome they went, the more suspicious strangers with foreign coins would be.   
  
The next morning they traded their remaining twenty-three dinars for fifteen gold ducats. Gabrielle was sure they were being cheated, but Xena told her it was just the difference in the value of the money. In Greece they probably could have gotten twenty ducats, but the difference was the fee for the exchange.   
  
They bought two horses and saddles for ten ducats. They had hunted during the ride from Poteidaia to Prevaza, so they still had the trail food Hecuba gave them. And they could hunt along the way to Rome.   
  
  
After two days of travel, Gabrielle's curiosity got the better of her.   
  
"Xena, I have a feeling this is something you'd rather not talk about, but what's the problem with you and Caesar?"   
  
"Actually, you're right, I'd rather not talk about it, but I suppose you should know what happened, if for no other reason than to keep you from pestering me about it."   
  
Xena was smiling, but Gabrielle could tell it was a painful memory.   
  
"It was a long time ago, but not long enough. I met Caesar when he was just a Roman general. I won't go into all the details, but I thought we were going to combine our forces. He had dreams to take over the world, something I found very exciting. But he betrayed me. I was 'arrested,' then hung on a cross, and he had both my legs broken with a large maul. I'm not even sure how I got down off the cross. It might have been some sympathetic traveler that came by after the Romans left. But from that day on I have sworn vengeance on Caesar. Someday I'll get my revenge. Some day."   
  
Xena read Gabrielle's mind.   
  
"But not this trip." She told her. "We're here to find Lila, not go after Caesar."   
  
Gabrielle breathed a sigh of relief.   
  
  


Chapter Seven 

  
Their arrival in Rome was greeted with a cold rain. It was mid fall and the weather was unpredictable -- warm and sunny, cold and sunny, cold and rainy.   
  
They stabled their horses, found a tavern that had rooms to rent, and settled in to wait for the weather to break. Their only plan was to search the many open air markets. If they were lucky they would find Lila doing the daily shopping for fresh meat and fruit.   
  
The third day the weather turned. Although seasonably cool, it was sunny and the markets were bustling.   
  
They would arrive at each one not long after dawn and wait, pretending to be shopping themselves, but actually buying very little. Between paying for the room, and for meals, their money was dwindling faster than they had expected.   
  
They were down to a single ducat the day they finally found Lila.   
  
It was near noon on their fifth day of searching. Gabrielle thought she saw her, but couldn't be sure.   
  
"I know I saw her." Gabrielle said, the excitement growing in her voice. "It HAD to be her, I'm sure of it."   
  
They waited for the woman to walk from behind a group of others. Gabrielle was holding onto Xena's upper arm in anticipation. When the woman came back into view, Gabrielle grabbed Xena's lower arm with her other hand, trembling with excitement.   
  
"It's her, it's her!" Gabrielle said, trying to keep from shouting.   
  
Xena watched the woman as she came nearer. She was wearing a long silk dress with a silk robe over it. Her hair was swept up with strands of pearls woven through it. She had dangling earrings of blue and green gems, with matching bracelets and necklace. She was accompanied by four or five less-well dressed young women, and a large, bald, soft-looking overweight man, a eunuch, wearing a long pointed dagger. The woman would make her selection, pay with a gold coin or two, and one of the women leave with it, taking it home.   
  
Gabrielle turned to let her pass without seeing her. She wanted to wait until she was alone. Eventually, only the man remained, following her.   
  
"Is he guarding her? Or making sure she doesn't try to escape?" Gabrielle whispered to Xena.   
  
"I really doubt if she would want to run away. If you were dressed like that, would you? With all the money she's carrying, he's probably guarding against thieves."   
  
Gabrielle and Xena circled around a stall so they would be sure to intercept her. Xena hung back and let Gabrielle get into position. She had her back partially to Lila, her head down, until they were almost side by side, then she turned to her sister.   
  
"Lila." she said looking up at her.   
  
Lila's mouth dropped open with surprise and shock.   
  
"Gabrielle?"   
  
"Yes! It's me!"   
  
Gabrielle put her arms around Lila to hug her. Lila responded momentarily, then pulled back.   
  
"What are you doing here?"   
  
Disappointed at Lila's lack of enthusiasm, she replied, "I'm here for you. I came to see you!"   
  
Lila looked around as if worried they might be seen together.   
  
"What's the matter?" Gabrielle asked, puzzled at Lila's reaction. "Aren't you glad to see me?"   
  
"Yes, of course I am. It's just -- I never expected to see you again."   
  
"But I'm here. Aren't you happy? I don't understand. It's been over eight years since we've seen each other. I would think . . . ."   
  
"Gabrielle. Yes! I'm very happy to see you. You don't know how glad I am that you're okay, but things are -- complicated. Look, right now I have to return home. There are things I need to attend to."   
  
"But --" Gabrielle tried to say.   
  
"Wait. Let me think." Lila turned to the vendor. "Excuse me, do you have something I can write on? And a quill?"   
  
The merchant handed her a small parchment square, a feather pen and ink. Lila began to write, speaking as she did.   
  
"I'm writing down direction to my home. Triberius, the senator who owns it, will be home for supper just before dusk. Then he'll leave for the baths. He never returns until almost midnight. So I want you wait until he leaves. Then we can visit and catch up. Give this to the sentry at the door, he will let you in."   
  
Lila handed the page to Gabrielle. When she looked at it, she said, "Lila, I can't read this. I can barely understand the language. Can't you write it in Greek?"   
  
Xena stepped up and took it from Gabrielle. "I can read it." she said.   
  
Just as Lila looked up at Xena, her guard stepped up, his hand drawing his dagger, ready to defend Lila if necessary.   
  
"What do you think you're doing?" Lila demanded.   
  
"No. Lila. This is my friend. We're together. Lila this is -- Cyrene. Cyrene, my sister Lila."   
  
Lila put her hand up by her shoulder, stopping the eunuch.   
  
"I'm pleased to meet you. But I really have to leave now. You should have no trouble finding the house."   
  
"Lila, wait!" Gabrielle was getting angry. "Just in case you were wondering, Mother and Father are well and they send their love."   
  
Lila hesitated, as if she wanted to say something, but only bit her top lip.   
  
"Come after dark." She said. But as she turned to leave, Gabrielle saw that her eyes were wet.   
  
  
As Gabrielle watched her walk away, Xena put on hand on her shoulder.   
  
Gabrielle turned to Xena. "What's wrong with her? Why was she acting like that?"   
  
"There's no telling. Maybe she's forbidden to talk to strangers, or to foreigners. Or maybe it's just such a shock to her she doesn't know how to react."   
  
They returned to the tavern to collect their belongings. They took them to the stable to put with their horses and gave the owner their last gold coin. Unless they were invited to stay at the Senator's house, they would have to leave the city and find someplace to camp until they returned to Greece.   
  
  


Chapter Eight 

  
They arrived early and waited until after dark when they saw Triberius, a heavy-set, older man, leave.   
  
Gabrielle announced themselves to the guard and handed the page to him. He took it without looking at it and allowed them to enter. They were met by a young girl, barely in her teens, and she took them to the dining hall. The table was piled with fresh fruit, bread, cheese, and bottles of wine.   
  
"Mistress says you are to eat." The girl said. "She will join you soon."   
  
Xena began to help herself to the food, but Gabrielle only nibbled on a few grapes.   
  
It wasn't too long until Lila appeared.   
  
"Gabrielle!" she shouted out, and ran to embrace her.   
  
Gabrielle returned the hug. Now she was getting the kind of greeting she had expected earlier in the day.   
  
They held tight to each other, crying, too overcome with emotion to speak.   
  
"You two are going grow together if you keep that up." Xena finally said.   
  
The two sisters slowly parted, but held onto each other's hands.   
  
"Oh, Gabrielle, I'm so sorry about the way I acted in the market, but Callia tells Triberius almost everything I do. If I had shown too much emotion it would have looked -- suspicious."   
  
"I understand. I knew there had to be a good reason."   
  
"How did you find me? The last thing I remember I was being driven off in a cart and you were in shackles, and your face was -- Almighty Zeus! Your face! There's no scar! I can't believe it. Why is there no scar?"   
  
"Oh, there was a scar all right. Right down here." And Gabrielle drew her finger down from her eyebrow to her chin showing where it once was.   
  
"But how?"   
  
"You won't believe it. But before we get too carried away with our stories, let me tell you about Mother and Father."   
  
"Oh, yes! I was so relieved when you said they were well, but I just couldn't say anything right then."   
  
"I know. Anyway, Mother said Father seemed to lose his will to live after we were taken. Mother did what she could to keep the farm going, but it was just too much for one woman. The work has aged her before her time. She just couldn't keep up with the planting and weeding and harvesting, and the upkeep. When Xe -- I mean, when Cyrene and I got there, the whole place was very run down. But they were so glad to see me, that Father started getting his strength back, and Mother seemed to have a little bounce in her step. And when we left, they were both so much better."   
  
"I'm so glad. But how did you know where I was? How did you know I was even alive?"   
  
"I had some -- help." Gabrielle smiled at Xena.   
  
Lila looked at her and asked. "So Cyrene, how did you know where I was?"   
  
"It wasn't Cyrene who knew," Gabrielle explained. "She has a special friend who -- found you."   
  
"Will you stop being so mysterious and tell me!"   
  
Gabrielle smiled again, almost laughing, "You won't believe this, but it was Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love."   
  
Lila was starting to get irritated. "You're making fun of me, now. Why would Aphrodite tell YOU where I was?"   
  
"Cyrene? You want to step in now? She's your friend."   
  
"Okay. Lila, I once did a favor for Aphrodite and then she returned it. So we had a bit of history together. I called on her again because Gabrielle wanted to ask her if she'd bring you home -- a huge favor that would put Gabrielle very much in her debt."   
  
Lila looked at Gabrielle, not quite sure if she believed the story. Gabrielle nodded her head that it was true.   
  
"So Aphrodite used her magic to find you, but since you seemed to have a pretty good life here, she wasn't sure if Gabrielle really wanted to her to take you from here and send you back to Poteidaia, especially since you have a daughter."   
  
"I don't have a daughter. Triberius has a daughter, I only gave birth to her."   
  
"Oh." Xena said, wishing she hadn't mentioned it. "And it was Aphrodite who removed Gabrielle's scar."   
  
"That's quite a story." Lila said, deciding she would believe it, for now."   
  
"So what about you? How did you end up here -- running all this?" Gabrielle asked.   
  
"After the auction, the other girls and I were put on a ship bound for Crete, at least that's what we were told. But a Roman war ship intercepted us, and took us and most of the other cargo. They called it an import/export tax for Rome, but it was just piracy. We were brought to Rome, put up for auction, and Triberius bought me and one other girl. I've been here ever since."   
  
"I'm glad for you, that you weren't -- didn't have to suffer any."   
  
"What about you? What happened to you, and how did you get your freedom."   
  
"You really want to hear about it? Some of it's ugly. And I'm ashamed of some -- most, of the things I've done."   
  
"Which weren't your fault." Xena put in.   
  
"Yes, I want to know. Tell me everything."   
  
  
Lila and Gabrielle talked long into the night -- eating, laughing, crying, and reminiscing about their childhood days.   
  
Xena mostly listened, joining in only when one or the other would ask her something, or to clarify or correct something Gabrielle would say.   
  
Then they were interrupted by a young boy.   
  
"Mistress, the Master has returned. He waits for you to come to his bed chamber."   
  
"I have to go. Can you come back tomorrow evening?"   
  
"Sure. We ran out of money, so we'll have to camp outside the city, but we can be here tomorrow night."   
  
"Wait here." Lila said, and hurried out of the room. Moments later she returned with ten silver ducats.   
  
"Here, take these. There's a inn not too far away, called the Palace of the Gods. It's clean and has reasonable rates. Stay there tonight."   
  
"Lila." Gabrielle objected. "I can't take this."   
  
"Of course you can. Please, stay there tonight and come back tomorrow evening. I love you, Gabrielle. I missed you SO much!"   
  
"I love you, too. And I missed you." Gabrielle said. The two sisters hugged each other, kissed, and then Lila left with instructions to the boy to show them out.   
  
  
"Well, she was right about one thing, this is a nice room." Gabrielle said as she and Xena climbed into bed for whatever was left of the night. "But I don't know about that 'reasonable rates' part. I mean, six ducats for one room for one night?"   
  
"Well, we do get breakfast with it." Xena replied. "And we don't have to be out until noon, so we can sleep all morning if we want."   
  
"Right! Like you'd ever be in bed past daybreak!" Gabrielle joked.   
  
"Old habits, you know."   
  
  
Despite her old habits, it was midmorning before Xena woke up.   
  
Gabrielle was already awake, watching Xena sleep. Then kidded her the rest of the day about how lazy she was. They ate all they could of the free breakfast, then went back to the stable to pay for one more day. And still had two ducats left.   
  
For the remainder of the day they wandered through the markets, killing time until dusk.   
  
  
After watching Triberius leave, they once again were escorted into the dining hall for another huge meal.   
  
Lila joined them immediately, and most of the evening was a joyous repeat of the previous night.   
  
But then it was time to get serious.   
  
"Lila, I want you to come back to Poteidaia with us."   
  
"You know I can't do that."   
  
"Yes you can. All you have to do is leave with us tomorrow morning while everyone thinks you are out shopping. We can be half way to Napoli before you're missed."   
  
"You forget I'm guarded, Gabrielle. Callia would never let that happen."   
  
Gabrielle looked at Xena. "She could stop him. She's the absolute best warrior there ever was. He wouldn't stand a chance."   
  
"You don't understand, when I first got here, he was the only one who had any sympathy for me. He taught me the language, told me how I should behave to keep me from getting beaten. He took care of me. I was the sister he had, then lost when she was sold. He's loyal to Triberius, but he loves me. And in a way, I love him too. And if I left, I would never see Sarah again. She'll be six years old right after the winter solstice. Even though I only see her once or twice a month, she lives with Triberius' sister, I could never leave her."   
  
"Maybe someday your parents could come to Rome, to visit." Xena suggested.   
  
"They'd never do that. They've never been more that a few days ride from Poteidaia." Gabrielle said.   
  
"They shouldn't come anyway." Lila said. "I hear talk about dissention among the generals. Many of them are disenchanted with Caesar. Even in the Senate there is discord."   
  
"I wonder why." Xena mumbled.   
  
"Things are going to get dangerous. I'm afraid there may be civil war, and it will be too easy for visitors -- foreigners, to get caught in it."   
  
"Then you're saying we should get out while we can." Gabrielle said.   
  
Lila nodded, not trusting her voice not to break.   
  
"I wish there was some way things could be different," Lila went on. "But I can't leave, and you two shouldn't stay."   
  
"At least you know your parents are alive and doing well," Xena said, "And we know that you are all right. So we will have good news to take back to them."   
  
"Yes," Lila said quietly. "There's that."   
  
"And there's no reason why we can't come back, after all the unrest has quieted down." Gabrielle said hopefully.   
  
"No. No reason at all." Lila agreed.   
  
Both sisters began crying and fell into each other's arms, holding tight to the other.   
  
Eventually, the tears ran out. And it was time to say good bye.   
  
"Take this to Mother." Lila said, and removed a silk scarf from around her neck. "Give her my love. And this is for Father." She handed Gabrielle a dagger that was inlaid with silver with her name inscribed on the blade.   
  
To Gabrielle, she gave a set of ivory and jade combs for her hair.   
  
"But I don't have anything to give you." Gabrielle said sadly.   
  
"How about a lock of that beautiful hair? I'm sure Aphrodite wouldn't mind."   
  
There were more hugs and kisses all around, and then Gabrielle and Xena started to leave, but Lila had one more gift.   
  
She gave Xena a calf skin pouch containing fifty gold ducats.   
  
"Take care of Gabrielle," she pleaded. "Until you two get back to Poteidaia, you're all she has."   
  
"I'll protect her with my very life if I have to."   
  
  
After one more night in the Palace of the Gods, Gabrielle and Xena rode away from Rome, beginning their return journey back to Poteidaia, and eventually on to Amphipolis.   



End file.
